Machine for applying labels and the like



0. ELSNER Sept. 10, 19290 MACHINE FOR APPLYING LABELS AND THE LIKE Fil F 192g 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 10, 1929. o. ELSNER MACHINE FOR APPLYING LABELS AND THE LIKE Fil F 1928 2 Streets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept 7 10, 1929.

OSCAR ELSNER, F IPULLY-LAUSANNE, SEVI ETZERLAND.

MACHINE r012. APPLYING LABELS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed February 9, 1928. SeriaLNo. 253,136.

The invention relates to machines for applying labels, wrappers or the like to cylindrical receptacles such as, round boxes, cans and so 0 The main object of the invention is to improve the machines of the type aforesaid to work entirely in an automatic way at a greater speed. than heretofore possible.

Another object of my invention consists These and other features of the invention comprising various combinations and arrangements'of parts will be best understood and appreciated from the. following description of a preferred embodiment thereof selected for the purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine, Fig. 2 is a' top view,

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the clamping gear, Fig. 4 is a detail elevation partly in section of the clamping gear and its connections.

Figs. 5 and Gillustrate the means to arrest the clamping frame. The machine shown comprises a frame M in which a horizontal shaft 3 is rotatably mounted. On the shaft 3 two disks 4, 8 are rigidly fixed. In the said disks 4, 8 four pair of clamping plates 1, 2- are arranged, the plates being arranged at equal radial distances and opposite each other in such a manner that between the plates of each pair a can D to be labelled may be inserted. The plates 1 are rigidly fixed to shafts 6 journalled in bosses 5 of disk 4 and running parallel to shaft 3. Each shaft 6 carries a pinion 7, the pinions 7' of all theshafts 6 are in mesh with a spur wheel an arm 51 of a spindle 64 which is 12 on shaft 3.- The spur wheel 12 is secured against rotation by suitable means not shown in the drawings. The pitch di ameter of the spur wheel 12 is about double that of the inions 7. The plates 2 are rigidly fixed to shafts 10, slidably and r0- tatably mounted in bosses 9 of the disk 8. Each shaft 10 carries a pinion 11, and each pinion 11 meshes with a spur wheel 13 concentrically arranged to shaft 3 and secured against rotation by suitable means. The pitch diameters of spur wheel 13 and the pinions 11 are equal that .of spur wheel 12 and pinions 7 respectively. The'shafts' 10 with the plates 2 and the pinion 11 may be shifted in axial direction by'means de-" scribed hereinafter to clamp or to release a can D, theteeth of spur wheel 13 being broad enough to secure the pinions 11 in engagement with the Wheel 13 in their end positions. By turning shaft 3 and therewith the disk 4, 8 each plate 1, 2 rotates round its own axis, the pinions 7, 11 running on the fixed spur wheels 12, 13. The shaft 3 is driven by a shaft 16, journalled in the frame pulley 17, a loose ulley and a spur wheel 15 are arranged tiie latter being in mesh with a spur wheel 14 loosely mounted on. shaft 3. On the spur wheel 14 a pawl 18 is arranged adapted to engage a toothed gear 19 rigidly fixed to shaft 3. The pawl 18 is provided with a tail piece'which on rotation of spur wheel 14 strikes alternately against one of two pins 20 fixed to the frame M. The clamping frame consisting of the shaft 3 and the two disks 4, 8 is moved intermittently, the motion of said frame being automatically interrupted each time the frame has made a turn of 90 and during a time interval corresponding to one quarter turn of spur wheel 14. To arrest the clamping frame in the required respective position a bolt is rigidly fixed to the spur' wheel 14 and adapted to strike against ournalled in the frame M. A second arm 54 fixed to said spindle 64 projects in the-path of projections of the disk 8, each projection being provided with a recess adapt- 11 on which shaft 16 a fast ed to be engaged by a pointed projection of arm 54. A torsional spring 53 which acts on shaft 64 tends to keep the arm 54 in engagement with a projection of the disk 8, and to thereby lock the clamping frame. The release of such frame is effected when the bolt turns shaft 64 against the action of said torsionalspring 53.

To shift the shafts 10 in their axial direction to clamp a, can D or to release the same double-armed levers 56 are pivotally connected at 57 .to the disk 8, one lever 56 being provided for each shaft 10. Each lever 56 is provided with a fork 58 at one end embracing the shaft 10, the other end of lever 56. carries a roller 59. The fork 58 engages a race of a ball bearing fixed to shaft 10, a spring acting on lever 56 tends to press the fork 58 to the right Fig. 4 and to hold a can D; moreover roller 59 is pressed by said spring 60 on to a cam 61 arranged in-a boss 62, of the frame M on which boss the spur wheel 13 is arranged. The cam 61 comprises a shaft 63 slidably arranged in a bore of boss 62 running parallel to shaft 3 and a head 61, in shape of an annular segment arranged in a corresponding groove in the face of boss 62 and having a'slanting face'over which the roller 59 runs.' A coiled-spring 64 acting on head 61 tends to push the head 61 to the i right Fig. 5 and to swing lever 56 against at least approximately constant. A knife the action of spring 60 if the roller 59 runs overhead 61. Each spring 60 is stronger than spring 64 and the cam 61 will be depressed against the action of the spring 64 by the roller 59 and the clamp 1, 2 will not be opened unless the cam 61 is prevented to retreat. To hold the cam 61 a ring 65 is fixed to the shaft 3 and is provided with bores 66 into one of which the shaft 63 enters when said bore 66 is brought into alignment with the shaft 63 upon rotating the shaft 3 and therewith the disks 4 and 8. The dimensions of the cam are such that two consecutive levers. 56 are moved and two clamps 1, 2 are opened at a time to insert a can D and to release another.

The labels which are to be posted on to the mantle of the cans are printed on a band 31, which is rolled up; the coiled band 31 is. arranged on a spool 29 rotatably mounted in brackets 30 fixed to the frame M. The band 31 passes over a guide roller 32'and over a secondlarger roller 33, the

rollers 32, 33 being mounted in suitable bearings of the frame M. The roller 33 takes up liquid adhesive material from a tray 34, which receives the adhesive material from a container 35 in such a manner that the level of the liquid in the tray 34 is 35' pivoted in the bearings is pressed against the mantle of the roller 33 by a weight 36,

the knife 35' taking off any surplus of adhesive matter.

The free end of the band 31 is pressed on the mantle of the can D by a roller 37 which is rotatably mounted on the free end of a lever 38 controlled by a spring 39 and pivoted in the bearing presses the band on are fixed with their lower ends to the frame M. A cross head 21 is slidably mounted on the bars 22 and rests on springs 23 which are arranged on said bars and are adapted to be moved up and down'by a pair of double armed levers 25 pivotally mounted at 27 on the frame M. One arm of each lever 25 is provided with a slot through which a bolt 24 of the cross head 21' passes. The other arm 26 projects in the path of a cam 28 fixed to the shaft 16. The cross head'21 is provided with a cutting blade 40 which is rigidly fixed to the cross head and which co-operates with a second cutting blade 41, pivoted on radial projections 42 of the disk 8. There are four'blades 41 equally distanced about the shaft 3. Each is adapted to'be brought in the path of an arm 43 fixed to the cross head 21. The blade 40 is exactly above the band 31 and stops exactly above on the band 31 when the cross head 21 is lowered. The arm 43 striking against the blade 41 swings the latter round and the two plates 40, 41 acting as a shear cut the band 31. On the cross head 21 two curved pressers 44, 45 are arranged of which one affixes the free end of the band 31 on to the one can D while the other presses the cut-off label'on the other can D held by the plates 1, 2. The can D having previously moved from left to right Fig. 1 is now fully wrapped and the label adheres firmly, while the free end of band 31 is attached to the can to be labelled and retained by the roller 37. The shaft 3 makes now a further quarter a turn and so on.

To release a can D which has been labelled the plate 2 is moved in axial direction against the pressure of spring 60 the run 41 and is moved by a pin 48 fixed,

to the spur wheel 14 and by a double armed lever 49. Pin 48 striking against the lever 49 removes the stop and frees a can 'D which by the lever is inserted between plates 1, 2.

The band 31 is printed in regular distances apart and the cutting of the band 31 has to take place between such labels. The cans D differ in diameter andeven if the differences are small it might happen that the cut passes through the printed portion and not on the predetermined spot if a great number of cans are to be labeled. To obviate this a lever 69 is rigidly connected to each of the spur wheels 12, 13. The levers 69 are linked to'a rod 68 slidably mounted in the frame M and adapted to be adjusted by a nut 70 arranged on the screw threaded end of rod 68. By turning the nut 70 the wheels 12, 13 are turned and at the same time the pinions 7 and '11 and more or less of the band 31 is wrapped round the can according to the directionin which nut 70 is rotated b the operator. By suitable adjustment of the screw 70 the cutting of the band 31 will be always between two consecutive labels.

What I wish to secure by U. S. Letters open and close the clamps, "the last saidmeans com rising sprin actuated shifting levers a rol er on each 0 said levers, a cam projecting in the path of said levers adapted to shift the levers and the clamping plates the said cam being slidably mounted' in the frame of the machine, a rotary member adapted to co-operate with said cam and adapted torelease and to lock said cam at predetermined positions of the rotary frame.

2. In a machine for appl ing labels and the like on tins, cans, round oxes and other like objects comprising in combination a rotary frame, rotary clamping plates arranged in said frame adapted to receive the cans, stationary spur wheels, pinions, one for each clamping plate, meshing with, said spur wheels, means to feed the cans, means to feed the band containing the labels, means to cut the band and means to open and close the clamps, means to sto said rotary frame at predetermined positlons.

3. In a mac ine for appl ing labels and the like on tins, cans, round oxes and other like objects comprising in combination a rotary frame, rotary clamping plates arranged in said frame adapted to receive the cans, stationary spur wheels, pinions, one for each clamping plate, meshing with said spur wheels, means to feed the cans, means to feed the band containing the labels, means to cut the band and means to open and close the clamps, means to stop said rotary frame at predetermined positions said means comprism a spring actuated lever, a projection at the free end of said lever, recesses in said rotary frame adapted to receive said projection, and a bolt adapted to act on said lever to stop the frame.

In witness whereof I aflix my signature.

OSCAR ELSNER. 

